Apparatus for cracking oil



March 25, 1930. G. EGLOFF ET AL APPARATUS FOR CRACKING OIL OriginalFiled Feb. 11. 1921 Fatented Mar 25,

GUSTAV EGLOFF AND HARRY P. IBENNER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS TUNI- VERSAL OIL PRODUCTS COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ACORPORATION 0FSOUTH DAKOTA,

APPARATUS FOR CRACKING OIL Application filed February 11, 1921, SerialNo. 444,234. Renewed February 21, 1929.

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for cracking oil andrefers more particularly to that type of process and apparatus in whichthe oil is first passed through a relatively closed coil or heatingchamber and then delivered in substantially liquid form to an enlargedexpansion chamber. Vapors are taken oif from such expansion' chamber andsubject to dephlegmation The particular feature of the present inventionlies more especially in the novel means for controlling the temperatureof the dephlegmator and at.,the same time obtaining the highest heatefliciency from the fuel used for initially heating the'oil in thecracking zone.

In the drawing, the single figure is a view, partly in vertical section,and partly in side elevation, of improved apparatus for carrying out ourprocess.

Refeiring in detail to the drawing, 1 designates a furnace, providedwith the burner 2, stack 3, and combustion chamber 4. In the combustionchamber is mounted the heating coil 5 which may take the form of acontinuous coil of 3 pipe formed by interconnected tubes. The inlet sideof the coil is connected to inlet line 6 leading to charging pump 7 Theoutlet side of the coil is connected to the transfer line 8 leading tothe elongated expansion chamber 9. This expansion chamer is providedwith manhole plate 10, 5residue drawofi' pipe 11 and vapor outlet pipe12. The last named pipe extends into the lower end of the dephle mator13, A. s aced cap member 14 is rovided above the pipe 12 to prevent there ux condensate from falling back into the expansion chamber. Thedephlegmator consists of the upper and 0 lower drums 15 and 16 connectedby the tubes 17, surrounded by the annular heat enclosing shell 18. Thedrum 16 is. provided with the reflux return pipe 19 leading to feed line6. Its lower side is provided with the branch pipe 20 whereby the refiuxcondensate may be led elsewhere if desired. The upper chamber 15 isprovided with the vapor pipe 21 leading to the condenser coil 22 seatedin condenser box 23. The lower end of the coil is connected by pipe 24with the top of receiver 25. This receiver 25 has pressure gauge 26,liquid-level gauge 27, gas outlet pipe 28 and distillate drawoif pipe29. Various parts of the system are provided with the throttle valves30, as shown in the drawing, whereby vapor pressures may be maintainedon all or part of the system or diflerential pressures maintained.

Referring now more particularly to the novel feature of the invention,to the lower end of the shell 18 is connected an air blower 31, which isadapted to deliver regulated quantities of cool air to the dephlegmatorso as to definitel and accurately control the temperatureo the dephleator. As the air passes around the tubes of the de hlegrnator, it, ofcourse, serves to cool the oil and itself becomes heated. The heat unitsthus transferred, instead of being wasted, are saved and utilized bycausin them to pass throu h the insulated hot air pipe 32 connected to te upper end of the shell 18 at one end and at its other end leading backto the burner whereby the hot air may be utilized in con-- nection withthe air supply of the burner and l thus get a more" efficient combustionthan would be the case where cool air was used, the pipe beingpreferably provided with a art 33 for connecting the same with theurner. The construction: seems simple but 8 it is to be borne in mindthat in the cracking of petroleum oil, one of the major expenses 7 isthe fuel required for heating the oil to be cracked. As a matter offact, in the commercial operation of cracking processes, large amountsof fuel oil are consumed in heating the oil to be treated, which fueloil might itself be cracked and thus tend to serve to conserve the fuelsupply of the country.

' We claim as our invention:

1. In an ap aratus for cracking oil, the combination with a stillmounted in a furnace, of a dephlegmator connected to the vapor spacethereof, and a closed air chamber within the interior of saiddephlegmator, means connected to said de hlegmator for forcing cool airthereto an means for removing the air heated by the dephlegmator anddelivering it to the furnace of the still.

2. In an apparatus for cracking oil, the

combination with a heating coil mounted in a furnace, a reaction zonecommunicating therewith where substantial vaporization takes lace, adephlegmator communicating with the vapor space of said reaction zone, aclosed air chamber within the interior of said dephlegmator, meanscommunicating with said closed chamber in the dephlegmator for forcingcool air thereto, and means for re moving said air after passage throughthe closed air chamber which has been heated by the dephle mator, andmeans for delivering said heate air to the furnace.

GUSTAV EGLOFF. HARRY Pv BENNER.

